I move to LA, then Ohio feels an earthquake?!?!

A 5.somthing earthquake this morning at 5:40 a.m. EST somewhere in Illinois shook the Midwest from Wisconsin to Kentucky.

Both my mom and boyfriend found it ironically amusing that I move to LA, the earthquake capitol of the U.S., and then one happens back home! Bizarre!

My boyfriend said something woke him up, but he didn’t actually feel it. My parents, on the other hand, just called to give me their very detailed account!

My dad was downstairs getting ready for work and thought the racket sounded like a rodent in the attic room or something… Back upstairs my mom and dad both watched a corner china cabinet in the hall of our 100+ year old farm house shake. The dishes and an empty birdcage in the next room jiggled and rattled about. Accounting for the time it took my dad to get back upstairs, my mom to get out of bed, both of them to make their way to the cabinet and look in a spare room, my mom thinks it must have been nearly minute of shaking.

One of my first questions about LA was what to do in the case of an earthquake. Contrary to my first assumption, you’re not supposed to leave whatever building you’re in, because it could be more dangerous outside with falling debris and power lines. Rather, you’re supposed to brace yourself in a doorjam. Great. That sounds so safe!